The Gospel according to John (20:11-18)
Mary Magdalene stayed outside the tomb weeping.
And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb
and saw two angels in white sitting there,
one at the head and one at the feet
where the Body of Jesus had been.
And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”
She said to them, “They have taken my Lord,
and I don’t know where they laid him.”
When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there,
but did not know it was Jesus.
Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?
Whom are you looking for?”
She thought it was the gardener and said to him,
“Sir, if you carried him away,
tell me where you laid him,
and I will take him.”
Jesus said to her, “Mary!”
She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni,”
which means Teacher.
Jesus said to her, “Stop holding on to me,
for I have not yet ascended to the Father.
But go to my brothers and tell them,
‘I am going to my Father and your Father,
to my God and your God.’”
Mary went and announced to the disciples,
“I have seen the Lord,”
and then reported what he had told her.
Reflection:
Happy Easter, everyone! We continue in the Octave of Easter this entire week, all the way to this coming Sunday, when we celebrate the eighth day of the Octave, Divine Mercy Sunday. And, as our pastor pointed out, you can get great prices on Easter candy, since everyone else says Easter ended this past Sunday!
Today’s Gospel follows the Easter story we heard this past Sunday, also from John’s Gospel. Peter and John have returned to where they were before, leaving Mary Magdalene at the tomb. Interestingly enough, John did not record that there were angels in the tomb when he and Peter looked inside the tomb, but angels were there when Mary peered inside. I’ve focused on a few different points in this Gospel before, but today, I’d like to look at what happens when Jesus calls Mary by name. Her whole outlook changes!
Mary goes from being overcome with sadness and loss to rapturous joy at seeing Jesus alive again. She hears Jesus call her name, and she knows that Jesus has won the battle over death.
During these Easter days, Jesus is calling each of us by name, too. He longs for us to look for Him (and find Him!). But, He never forces Himself into our lives. He is just there, waiting for us to notice not that He has wandered away from us, leaving us alone, but truly waiting for us to see that He never left us. At times when the world seems so chaotic, and the most reasonable reaction is fear and worry, Jesus longs for us to see that He is there, wrapping us in His love and peace, if only we pay attention to it!
Of course, as you know, for us Deacons, we’ve just come through a very busy time in the Church with Holy Week and the celebrations of this past weekend. On Sunday afternoon, Linda and I enjoyed relaxing at home (it was SO nice). I believe that God knows exactly what we need, and wants for us to be refreshed by Easter Joy, but He also knows that we are human beings with all the limitations that go along with that.
So, to my fellow Deacons (particularly, Deacons Ray, Carlos, Gregg, Mike and Ray Ray on the DEACON5), I pray for all of you and am so thankful for your fellowship as Deacons. May we all be examples of Jesus the Servant, and may we help everyone to experience Jesus’ peace, through our sincere and true service and worship for our Lord. And, a little “P.S”, may we know that our calling to be His servants and His ambassadors is something that we all carry, and not just those who are Ordained, but all of us, and not just now, during this Easter Octave, but everyday of our lives,. And why? Because He calls us by our name and calls us to follow Him.
Action for the Day:
Take some time today and ponder if you are as attentive to Jesus calling *your* name. Do you sense His voice in your heart? Do you feel like you’re missing it? If you’re feeling disconnected (even in this Easter season), offer a prayer to Jesus that you may see Him there with you and be open to His presence, right beside you.
Link to the DEACON5 website: https://deacon5.com/
If you would like to hear this reflection, click the link below!
Thank brother for your prayers for us Deacons of the D5, and for your long and dedicated commitment, to keep the D5 alive to evangelize the people of God.🙏🏼